Identification of antifungal and antibacterial biomolecules from a cyanobacterium, Arthrospira platensis

Abstract

Arachidonoyl dopamine and fluocinolone were identified as ‘active compounds’ from the methanolic extract of a species of cyanobacterium, Arthrospira platensis, isolated from a hypersaline lake in Rajasthan, India. In vitro testing of these compounds has shown potential antifungal activity as well as antibacterial activity against strains with multidrug resistance. A. platensis-derived methanolic crude extract and purified fractions were assayed against bacterial and fungal target pathogens prioritized by the World Health Organization (WHO). The active fractions were subjected to high-resolution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HR-LC/MS). Molecular docking analysis of the screened compounds revealed that arachidonoyl dopamine showed a significant interaction with the enzyme sterol-14-alpha demethylase targeted by other antifungal drugs; likewise, fluocinolone interacted with the OMP-F porin protein present in the outer membranes of the bacteria. However, neither molecule has yet been reported from any cyanobacterial system until now. In vitro activity of both compounds clearly indicates their potential for the development and/or repurposing of antifungal and antibacterial drugs. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.